Dream Lover
by Neon Star
Summary: Elrond is having a troubled night, and only a dream from the past can help him. Elrond/Celebrian


Just a little thing I wrote up. One shot thing. Don't own it, Tolkien does, but you know that.   
  
  
Dream Lover  
  
He stood at his window, looking out into the moonlight world that he stood watch over. He was unable to sleep this night, for his memories haunted him in his dreams. At first, he had thought to find Glorfindel, who usually was up when he felt his lord's distress from their bond. But he had rejected the idea when he had felt that Glorfindel, for the first time in a while, was sleeping soundly. He had not the heart to wake his suffering companion, who's own memories were now haunting him in full force. So he just stood, looking out over the serene landscape of Rivendell, and tried to find peace. But there was none to find for his heart.  
  
Reaching out into his memories, he searched past the dark ones for one bright star. Most of his memories were dark, but one sweet memory called to him, and he gratefully pulled it towards him.   
  
His beautiful wife Celebrain came to his mind's eye, and he smiled slightly at the memory. She had always been his light, his love, his heart, and his hope. Even after all these years, the memory of her was as clear as crystal, and he remembered every detail of her before, and after the attack.  
  
Frowning at the dark memory, he turned from it, to how she was before. It seemed to him that she stood before him, real, not just in memory. He could see her silvery hair fly slightly in the gentle wind, her eyes bright and clear as the morning sky, her delicate mouth turned up in a soft smile as she gazed back at him. Her skin shimmered in the pale moonlight, her silvery gown enhancing the effect, looking for all the world like a radiant spirit.   
  
He smiled, and unknowingly reached out to that image, but his hand touched nothing but air. Sighing, he let the vision fade, and surrendered back into his own dark thoughts.  
  
"Why are you sad, beloved?" a voice whispered in his ear.  
  
"I'm alone, and lost within the darkness that is in me," Elrond said softly, brokenly.  
  
"You are not alone, for I have always been with you," the sweet voice said, and warm arms encircled his waist.  
  
"Oh, Celebrian," Elrond murmured.  
  
"Shh, beloved, we have little time," Celebrain whispered.  
  
He turned in her arms, and gazed upon her in wonder. She was exactly as he remembered, and his heart nearly wept for joy. Gently touching her face, he noted that the skin beneath his worn hands was soft, unlike the scarred flesh that had been there when she left.   
  
"Oh, my heart," he said softly, marveling at just the touch of her, at the clear, pain free look of her sky blue eyes.   
  
"Yes, love, I have been healed," she said, smiling even more as she gently touched his hand where it rested upon her cheek.  
  
"How is this possible?" he whispered.  
  
"Many things are possible when love is concerned. I felt your pain, and pleaded with the Valar. They have granted me this one night. But let us not speak of that. Tell me what troubles you?" Celebrain said, gazing into his silver eyes, which darkened upon her inquiry.  
  
"I do not wish to trouble you," he whispered.  
  
"You worry for our daughter, our sons, Glorfindel, and those that you fear to leave behind when it is time. You grieve for me, and those that have left you," Celebrain said, as her smile became sorrowful, "You could not trouble me, Elrond, except by your silence. You were never meant to bear this grief alone. Eru gave you me, and Glorfindel to support you. Yet you hold from us both. Come, tell me everything."  
  
His eyes trailed over her face as they started to fill with tears, and the grief held within him finally flooded forth, becoming known upon his lips.  
  
"All you say is true, love. I do worry and grieve for all that you have spoken of. We shall loose our beloved daughter, for she has pledged her love to a mortal, a son that I have raised within this house. We will loose her to death, grief, and all things that she will suffer. I do not wish for that, not for her. I could not bear to loose our Evenstar, yet I would break her if I deny her love. Her brothers are not so far off from choosing, and I fear that they shall follow her path. Where one goes, the other must follow, and what is one's choice, will be the other's. Elrohir is slowly looking towards mortals' ways, and his taste for death has grown since you have left. Elladan will not be able to live without him, and I would not able to live with the deaths of all of our children," tears slid down his face, and he chocked back a sob to continue, "Glorfindel fades by the day, though he hides it well. He begs to help me with my grief, yet I cannot even touch his, for he buries it within the shadows that still lurk in his soul. I can only watch as his eyes grow dimmer, his skin grows paler, and his soul darkens. He cries out to another in his sleep these days, and that other cannot answer. My best friend is dying, and I cannot stop it. And what of my people? Those that I have protected since Rivendell was raised from the rocks. Could I leave them without guidance and protection? Yet I feel that if I stay longer, I shall die. It is too much for me!"   
  
He finally broke down, clinging to her as if she were the last to keep him from falling into the darkness that threatened to consume him, and she was. His tears ran down his face in twin rivers of bitterness and sorrow as he released all his grief to her. She stood firm, holding him, comforting him, and loving him with her entire being, for that is what he needed most.  
  
He subsided after a time, but did not raise his head from her shoulder. Standing quietly, he let the sweet smell of her, the gentle beat of her heart, the radiance of her love; steal away the last of his tears. For a time, they stood in this way, wrapped within each others' arms, unwilling to let go.  
  
Finally, Celebrain spoke gently to him, "Elrond, I have watched our children through your eyes. I have watched as our Evenstar grew to be beautiful and gentle, as she was meant to be. I have watched as this mortal son of yours has grown, and I have seen that they are linked together in their souls. To part them would kill them both, and I know you do not wish to harm them, no matter how great your love is for them. Our Arwen will leave us for beyond the worlds, and she will suffer a grief equal to yours, but in the end, she will have a joy that will be far beyond anything Aman or Middle Earth could offer her. We shall grieve for the lose of her, but we should never grieve for her. Let her make her choice, and love her as you have always done, for that is all you can do. As to our sons, I have watched over them as well, and I have seen Elrohir's taste for death, but I know our littlest son. There is strength in him that even Mother cannot fathom. He will not wish to follow death so easily as he appears to and Elladan will have a say in this. Elladan has always been stubborn, so he may be the one to save his brother. Do not fear for them, love, for they will make the right choice, and end the bitter sorrow in your heart for them. Just give them time to decide," she paused, and her sad smile faded altogether at her next words, "Glorfindel calls for one who has come to him this night, as I have come to you. Why do you think he sleeps so well tonight? There is nothing that can be done, not from you. He must find the will to live, or he shall rejoin Mandos. This sorrow is old, Elrond, as old as the race of Elves. It is best to let him decide whether to leave it or to let it conquer him. Do not interfere with this fight; only let him know that you are there, as he is there for you. To your people, many will follow you to the sea, and those few that remain are not children, Elrond, they can take care of themselves. Do not think you are leaving them without guidance, for they have their own. You can only accept what comes, and do what is best. You will be free soon enough, love, and your burdens will lighten once we are rejoined."  
  
Elrond quietly listened to her, the wisdom of her words flowing into and over him, releasing some of his burdens from his heart. He held her tighter as he imagined the day would come when he was free from Vilya, which felt like a dead weight upon his hand. The day when he would be rejoined with his heart and soul.  
  
She stroked his hair, then gently kissed the tip of his ear, "All shall be well, beloved."  
  
"That is what I hope for," Elrond said, and finally raised his head to gaze into her eyes, "Thank you, my heart. Your words have eased me slightly."  
  
"I could not leave you to darkness," she whispered.  
  
"I am glad to have always had you as my light," he said softly, and then leaned forward to capture her lips in a gentle kiss.  
  
She deepened it, loving the taste of him after so long, her arms wrapping around his neck as he eagerly crushed her to him. They stayed entangled for a time, until even their Elven lungs could not withhold the need for air. They parted slightly, and gazed at each other.  
  
"So very little time for sorrows and needs," Elrond whispered.  
  
"Yet we will soon have all of eternity," Celebrain said, gently kissing him once again.  
  
"I shall be looking forward to that day with all that I have in me," he said as they parted.  
  
"As shall I, love," she said softly.  
  
The first light of dawn crept in through the window, and Celebrian sighed softly.  
  
"I must go," she said.  
  
He gently laid his forehead against her own and sighed as well.  
  
"Eternity?" he asked softly.  
  
"Eternity and more, my love," she whispered, and kissed him once more.  
  
She then pulled away, and began to fade as the light began to flood the room. He held onto her hands as she faded from him.  
  
"I shall be waiting," she said, and disappeared.  
  
"I shall not keep you waiting for long," he sighed.  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Elrond awoke to sunlight streaming in his eyes. Sitting up, he noticed that he was in his bed, though he had no memory of getting there. Getting up slowly, he glanced towards the window, where Rivendell could be viewed in all its waking glory. Smiling slightly as the memory of the night before lingered in his mind, he quickly readied for the day.  
  
A knock came to the door just as he finished braiding his raven locks. Going to the door, he opened it to see Glorfindel standing there, nearly glowing with restored hope. Elrond smiled at his friend as he stepped out and closed the door to his rooms.  
  
Turning to face his friend once more, Elrond asked, "Have a good night?"  
  
"Very good night. What of you? You seem well rested," Glorfindel said, returning his smile.  
  
"I have not rested that well in a long time," Elrond said, then started down the hall, Glorfindel close beside him. 


End file.
